Homework 9 - Top of Atmosphere Energy Budget using ERBE Data

Radiation Objective:

  1. Use top of atmosphere longwave, shortwave, and net energy budget to learn difference in global patterns between ENSO and average years. MAS.
Matlab Objective:
  1. Learn the value of exploratory analysis (no programming).

    2.  
The NASA Earth Radiation Budget Experiment, or ERBE, is an program to measure the energy budget at the top of the Earth's atmosphere. Background information can be found at the Suomi Virtual Museum Alcove on Radiation Budget.

Read this background material and then do the ENSO exercise. Explain the differences between the ENSO year and the 5-year average longwave and shortwave radiation budgets. What caused these differences? (Hint: A look at the cloud forcing may support you conclusions on what caused these differences)